On the surface, Ecclesiastes seems to be a book of despair: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” But a closer read reveals it to be a sophisticated critique of common ways of finding meaning and happiness without God that directs our attention back to the absolute necessity of the gospel. In this lesson, we begin our study of this wonderful and often strange book by discussing two important keys for understanding Ecclesiastes as a whole and learning to appreciate its sober wisdom.